Tag Archives: War

Pres. Obama and his team have been playing twister with legal arguments for bombing Syria without an express declaration of war from Congress. Those changing arguments are all wrong, and the attacks on Syria – like so many wars before it – are wildly unconstitutional.

On September 10, 2002Â I asked 35 questions regarding war with Iraq. The war resolution passed on October 16, 2002.Â Now today, as some of my colleagues try to reestablish credentials regarding spending restraint, I want to call attention to my 18th question from six years ago:

â€œAre we willing to bear the economic burden of a 100 billion dollar war against Iraq, with oil prices expected to skyrocket and further rattle an already shaky American economy?Â How about an estimated 30 year occupation of Iraq that some have deemed necessary to “build democracy” there?â€

Many scoffed at my â€œradicalâ€ predictions at the time, regarding them as hyperbole.Â Six years later, I am forced to admit that I was wrong.Â My â€œradicalâ€ predictions were in fact, not â€œradicalâ€ enough.

Many who agree with me on a lot of other issues, do not understand my enthusiasm for gold and sound money or why I spend so much time studying and talking about monetary policy.Â It’s true that I talk about money differently than most, but the fact is sound money offers many benefits.

What will it take to get our troops out of Iraq?Â Â The roughly 70 percent of Americans who are firmly against the war often ask this question.Â Those in power are reluctant to give conditions, but when they do and those conditions are met, the goal post is quietly moved.

Voters were promised, passionately and vehemently, that the new Congress would bring our troops home.Â Many were explicitly elected in 2006 under that banner.Â But our troops are still overseas, funding has been increased even beyond the administration’s wish list, and troop withdrawal has been negotiated away.

The framers of the Constitution attempted to balance the power of the President as commander-in-chief with that of Congress, the representatives of the People.

Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution gives to the Executive Branch the command of the nation’s armed forces, while Article I, Section 8 gives to the Legislative Branch the power to decide when the United States goes to war.

What is the importance of the war in IraqÂ relative to other current issues?Â This is a question I am often asked, especially as Americans continue to become increasingly aware that something is very wrong with the economy.Â Â The difficulty with the way the question is often asked relates to the perception that we are somehow able to divide such issues, or to isolate the cost of war into arbitrarily defined areas such as national security or international relations.

War is an all-encompassing governmental activity.Â The impact of war on our ability to defend ourselves from future attack, and upon America ‘s standing in the world, is only a mere fraction of the total overall effect that war has on our nation and the policies of its government.

This week, as the American economy continued to suffer the effects of big government, the House attempted to pass two multibillion dollar “emergency” spending bills, one for continued spending on the war in Iraq , and one increasing spending on domestic and international welfare programs.Â The plan was to pass these two bills and then send them to the president as one package.

Even though the House failed to pass the war spending bill, opponents of the war should not be fooled into believing this vote signals a long term change in policy.Â At the end of the day, those favoring continued military occupation of IraqÂ will receive every penny they are requesting and more as long as they agree to dramatically increase domestic and international welfare spending as well.

You can ask anybody what the first amendment prevents infringement upon. They might know about one thing, freedom of speech, but incorrectly, tell you we are granted freedom of speech. Even then, most miss the other four inalienable rights the Constitution limits the federal government from violating.

Most are equally unaware of the right of the people to keep and bear arms, and even of their status as militia under U.S. code. Most also donâ€™t know that the third amendment prevents forced slumber parties with soldiers, and further assume that oneâ€™s right to be secure in his papers, person and effects can be waived by law â€“ without a rebellion or invasion. They also believe that the seizure of life, liberty or property is okay without a warrant, just compensation or due process is legal.

Yesterday, as the Senate overwhelmingly voted for the Lieberman-Kyl Amendment on Iran, I couldn’t stop my amazement at the absolute arrogance of the US federal government.

The amendment states: “The United State should designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps as a foreign terrorist organization . . . and place the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps on the list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists.”

Just focusing on the economics of it all, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are estimated to cost nearly $200 Billion in 2008. And, if we assume the government will act like it normally does, you can expect that price tag to be far, far higher than what they claim it will be.

Cindy Sheehan, writing in an article titled “At What Price, Safety?“ at Buzzflash today made some excellent points arguing against the use of aggression by the US military against the people of Iraq. She, like many others, realizes that the illusion of security that the federal government claims to provide could never justify its current actions – killing, violations of liberty and the like.